Tuesday, January 25, 2011

In Winter, You Said (Poem)

In winter, you said

ice sweats
the length of the gutter.

I imagine:
dog's fangs, elephant tusks.

You point out
starlings, plump bits of morse code,

pinging for positions on power lines.
I mime the moon

tugging tides.
The frost I skim from your arms

around me chaps. You don't mind
saying how you fell

into dreaming of mosaics of skin
in French-cut bikinis

dazzling in the glow of watercolor
sunsets. I decide

it's enough to know
it snows

and footprints appear ahead
of me.

© 2011 Maureen E. Doallas
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I wrote this poem for today's One-Word Blog Carnival, sponsored by Peter Pollock.

The Blog Carnival is a biweekly online event open to anyone. Participants write either original poetry or prose reflecting their consideration of or response to the one-word prompt or topic. The prompt for January 25 is "winter".

At Peter's place, you'll find a list of links to all of the Blog Carnival contributions, which are posted throughout Tuesday and often through to the end of the week.

The Blog Carnival's FaceBook page is here.

The prompt for the next Blog Carnival is "renewal". The complete list is here.

10 comments:

Glynn said...

I could read this in several ways (it's fascinating how the meaning of a poem can change with a different reading, even a different tone of voice), but one way I read this is as a beautiful love poem, with just a hint of bittersweetness.

Cassandra Frear said...

It is enough to know it snows and footprints appear ahead of me.

Is it enough? Can I be content with that much?

Wow. That line means so much to me right now. It's going in my journal.

S. Etole said...

The footprints line ... that's definitely a keeper! And the watercolor sunsets .... such good imagery throughout.

Louise Gallagher said...

Wow.

The symbolism -- and undercurrent of this poem -- really hit me. Love poem. bittersweet.

it is all of that and more.

Beautiful..

katdish said...

Each time I read this, I see a different perspective. Beautiful, Maureen.

patriciacaspers said...

"I mime the moon" --Lovely.

Anonymous said...

it feels to me like a nice daydream

HisFireFly said...

"you don't mind saying how you fell"

This breaks my heart, sensing the pain inflicted here.

Can the cold of winter ice the wounds?

Well done Maureen!

a joyful noise said...

Following footprints in the snow, to me, symbolizes following Jesus, although we do not see anything but his prints. We walk by faith.

Anonymous said...

You write SO beautifully. Your work always moves me. Thank you.